Barbecue Tips

Cooking food outdoors can increase the risk of food poisoning. It is harder to keep foods very hot or very cold, as well as keeping everything clean, so take extra care:

  • Light the barbecue well in advance. Make sure you use enough charcoal and wait until it is glowing red (with a powdery grey surface) before starting to cook.

  • Keep meats, salads and other perishable food in a cool bag with ice packs, or in the fridge, until just before you are ready to cook or eat them. Serve salads at the last minute.

  • During cooking, turn food often. If it starts to burn on the outside, raise the grill height or reduce the heat of the charcoal (dampen coals slightly or partially close air vents).

  • Cook poultry, burgers, sausages and pork throughout: there should be no pink bits in the middle. If possible, fully pre-cook all poultry and sausages in the microwave or oven, then take them straight to the barbecue to add the final barbecue flavour.

  • Keep raw and cooked foods apart at all times. Don't handle cooked foods with utensils that have touched raw meats, or put cooked or ready-to-eat food on plates that have held raw meats.

  • Keep serving bowls covered to protect them from dust, insects and pets.

Contact

If you need any further information about food safety, contact:

Rhona Douglas
Principal Food/Health and Safety Officer

Telephone: (0141) 577 3031
Email: